＜Japanese Version＞

　昨年度から道路交通法が一部改正され自転車運転者は着帯の付いたヘルメットを着用すべく努力することとなっている。しかし「ヘルメットを着用するように務める」というだけで罰則はないからヘルメットの着用率は数パーセントと低いままで１年が過ぎた。私が属する軟式野球シニアチームでの先日の練習でチーム員の一人が「今年の４月から自転車運転者はヘルメットを着用することが義務になったなぁ！若い人はヘルメットを勝っていない人が未だ多いから、大変だ。」と言っていた。私は「へー、それは知らなかったなぁ」と軽く受け流しておいたが、シニアの会話はこの程度で良いのだ。家の帰ったあと家内に聞いてみたが、「うん、そうちゃう」なんて無責任な返事であった。それで Yahoo 検索で調べて見た所「今年４月から自転車運転者はヘルメットを着用しなければならない」なんて文言はまったくヒットしなかったから、上記の軟式野球シニアチーム員の話は噂に過ぎない様だ。

　家庭での家内との会話でも家内の発言力が最近大分増してきた。若い頃お家庭では私は一家の財政を稼ぐ柱であり、家内も若くて社旗的な経験も低かったから私の発言力は強かった。しかし最近のように私も８０歳近辺の年金生活者となり、老人ボケや体力の衰えも見えて権威が低下して来たから私より５歳年下の家内の私に対する言葉は段々厳しいものになっている。「老いては妻・子に従え」と言うことだろうか。「自転車ヘルメット着用義務化されたの噂」から妙なことに話が進んで来た、"やれやれ"。

＜English Version＞

Since last year, the Road Traffic Act has been partially revised, requiring bicycle riders to make every effort to wear a helmet with a strap. 　　　However, since there is no penalty for "attempting to wear a helmet,'' the helmet-wearing rate has remained low at just a few percent for a year. During a recent practice with the senior softball baseball team I belong to, one of the team members said, "Since April of this year, it has become compulsory for cyclists to wear helmets!　　　There are young people who don't wear helmets. 　　　It's tough because there are still so many."　　　I dismissed it lightly and said, "Huh, I didn't know that," but this is fine for senior conversations. 　　　After I got home, I asked my wife, but her irresponsible reply was, "Yeah, that's what happened." 　　　So I did a Yahoo search and found no results for the phrase "Bicyclists will be required to wear helmets from April of this year,'' so it seems that the story of the senior softball team member mentioned above is nothing more than a rumor.　　　Even in conversations with my wife at home, my wife's voice has increased considerably recently. 　　　When I was young, I was the mainstay of the family's finances, and since my wife was also young and had little experience in working for the company, I had a strong voice. 　　　However, as of late, I have become a pensioner nearing 80 years old, and my authority has diminished due to my aging and declining physical strength, so my wife, who is 5 years younger than me, has become increasingly harsh towards me. 　　　Does this mean to say, "When you get old, obey your wife and children?'' 　　　The conversation strangely progressed from "Rumors that wearing bicycle helmets has been made compulsory'' to "Oh my god.''